


Ride Away With My Heart

by AllyUnabridged



Category: Bishoujo Senshi Sailor Moon | Pretty Guardian Sailor Moon, Bishoujo Senshi Sailor Moon | Pretty Guardian Sailor Moon (Anime & Manga)
Genre: Backstory, Drama, F/F, Secret Crush
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-25
Updated: 2020-10-24
Packaged: 2021-03-07 23:34:19
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 11,568
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26646091
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AllyUnabridged/pseuds/AllyUnabridged
Summary: Upon discovering her fate as Sailor Neptune, Michiru must attempt to find and convince her destined partner to join her, all while dealing with a deepening crush. Michiru/Haruka, retelling of past events from episode 106. Canon compliant.
Relationships: Kaiou Michiru/Tenoh Haruka
Comments: 10
Kudos: 45





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Author's Note: Welcome to my first Michiru/Haruka story! Also my first attempt at F/F. This story came from a prompt of "motorcycle" in my friends' prompt game. It became much too big to be a simple drabble, though, and eventually turned into a five-chapter story. Episode 106 gave us Haruka's perspective of becoming a Sailor Guardian and meeting Michiru/Sailor Neptune. I thought it was only fair to see how things might have looked from Michiru's point of view. Later chapters will involve episode action and dialogue, but I did attempt to put my own twist on even that.
> 
> As always, thanks to Ninjette-Twitch for the beta! She took time out of writing her last Smutember story to look this over for me, which I am incredibly grateful for. Also, please remember that reviews are love!

"It is time."

Michiru turned away from watching waves lap at an unfamiliar golden shoreline under bright blue clouds that zipped by at impossible speeds. She looked back towards a tall figure silhouetted against the deepening blue sky. For a moment, she wondered where the setting sun was, but her attention was caught once more by the words which reached out and engulfed her.

"It is time."

"Time for what?" This wasn't the first time she'd had a lucid dream. In fact, it was a fairly common occurrence, although this didn't feel quite so real as those others.

"Time to take up your birthright. You have a mission." Although she couldn't see the figure's face, long hair whipped around her as she spoke. She held an odd staff with what looked like a key on top, one that tugged at Michiru's memories for no reason she could recall.

"Mission?" Michiru was afraid she sounded a little stupid, parroting back the other woman's words like this. She grabbed her own hair, wildly blowing in the wind, and held it at the nape of her neck to try and see better.

"You must find the Messiah and halt the Silence before it is too late."

Michiru felt a chill run down her spine at the name. Suddenly, the strange world and the woman before her disappeared to be replaced by the familiar streets of Tokyo, eerily empty. She looked around, panic trying to claw its way through her usual practiced calm. She fought it back even as she looked up to see a dark wave, easily as high as Tokyo Tower, rearing up above the buildings before her.

In the same moments, a crowd of screaming people ran towards her through alleys, converging on the street across from where she stood. They reached out to her only for the wave to crash down, swallowing at least half. The others reached out again, pleading with words she couldn't make out but knew were cries for help. To her horror, they began to crumble, disappearing within seconds. Once again, the city around her was completely silent, but not the quiet she normally loved. This was heavy, oppressive, in a way that left her feeling as if all the air around her was going to crush her at any moment.

With a gasp, Michriu sat up in bed, panting. The artificial light filtering through her gauzy curtains told her that dawn had yet to make an appearance. She scanned her room with wide eyes, listening for the reassuring sound of Tokyo traffic, light but present in the early morning gloom. Something glinted on the pillow next to her, and she reached down to pick it up without thinking.

Her fingers had barely managed to curl around the smooth metal handle when the same vision of screaming people engulfed by waves of darkness seared across her vision, causing her to drop whatever it was into her tangled blankets. As soon as it left her hand, the vision stopped.

She glared down at the offending item, laying innocently with one end poking up. In the dim light she could just make out some sort of star shape at the top and maybe an engraving. She couldn't even tell what color it was, not really, but she knew somehow that it was her favorite teal. Everything from the touch to the shape of it called out to her, despite the horrifying images.

Knowing she wouldn't be able to get back to sleep, yet unwilling to deal with the strange object just yet, she slipped out of bed and pulled on the white silk robe laid neatly across the vanity chair steps away. Her fingers searched for and found a hairband laying just where she'd left it, and she twisted her hair into a messy bun, the type she'd never wear outside her own living spaces.

She didn't need more light to move from the vanity to the door just beyond, open it quietly, and step into the hall. Not that there was anyone to wake up since her parents hadn't been able to join her in Tokyo in this lavish apartment set up by several of her violin patrons. Still, it wouldn't be courteous to stomp around and wake up anyone sleeping in the apartment below.

Michiru made her way down the short hall to her favorite room in the apartment, what should have been the main bedroom but was instead her art studio. She'd chosen to cram her bed and other furnishings into the smaller second bedroom in order to have as much space as possible here, where she could spread cloths across the wooden floor to catch spilled paint and set up canvases as large as she'd like. And this called for the largest canvas she had available, she decided as she flicked on the bright lights she'd set up just so months before when she first moved in.

She fell into something of a trance as she arranged her canvas and paints and began to work. Thankfully it was a Saturday, so even as the sun rose high over the city skyline she felt no compulsion to stop. Instead, she plied her brushes against the canvas, broad strokes here, delicate touches there, as the scene came to life under her skillful hand. At one point she turned off the artificial light since the sun now streamed through the large windows that were her sole reason for selecting this apartment out of the many her patrons could have afforded. Then she dove back into her canvas, selecting colors to highlight and shadow, bringing the scene to life as she attempted to exorcise it from her mind.

She paused again when she began to feel lightheaded, practically running down the hall to her small kitchen in order to pour a glass of water and toss together a quick salad. Her thirst and hunger taken care of, she returned to her obsession. As the sun began to sink on the other side of her building, she set the last strokes and stepped back.

Here it was in blacks and blues and greens, hints of yellow and white to highlight; the terror from her dream, the horror of her vision coming as close to life as she hoped they would get. The dark tones suited it, she decided with a firm nod.

She stretched and pushed an escaping tendril of hair off her forehead before deciding to head down to the building's pool, the other reason she'd wanted this particular apartment. It was small but sufficient for her needs when she couldn't get to a larger one to really get her muscles going. With one final glance at the painting she'd created from her nightmare, she closed the door firmly on her studio and headed back to her bedroom.

She noticed her unmade bed and frowned. It was unlike her to leave things so untidy, a further sign of how the night had disturbed her mind. With a resolute firming of her lips, she moved to shake out and smooth the blankets. With the first good shake, something clattered onto the smooth teal-and-white rug at her feet. Skin growing cold, she looked down. The blanket slipped from her fingers as she stared.

It gleamed in the light of the setting sun. She'd been wrong to assume that the entire thing was her favorite color. Instead, it was a silver metal rod topped with, of all things, a heart. Resting on top of the heart sat a teal crescent surrounded by a ring. A golden six-pointed star rose out of the tip of the crescent as if it were a wave, and a symbol glowed in bright teal on the star. She didn't have to wonder what it was. The symbol represented her favorite planet, Neptune, which she'd been obsessed with when she was a little girl.

"Neptune," she murmured. Without hesitation, suddenly unafraid of the visions from earlier, she reached down and picked up the rod. Other words came to her, ones she'd never heard before yet knew all the same. "Planet Power Make-Up!" She finished with a yell loud enough that in other circumstances she would have worried about the neighbors hearing.

Blue-green light in the shape of a wave engulfed her. When it dissipated, she was no longer dressed in her silk pajamas and matching robe. Instead, a white leotard and short dark teal skirt covered her body. White gloves encased her hands and lower arms, and she looked down to see pretty heeled shoes that matched the skirt. The rod that started this was nowhere in sight.

"What in the world…?" she wondered, moving to look in the mirror over her vanity as if it would allow her to deny what her eyes and skin told her.

"Well, I suppose this isn't a dream." With a sigh, she took in the dark blue bow on her chest and turned to see the one on the back of the strange outfit. A gold tiara of some sort graced her forehead, the green gem on it shining and winking at her as if it was in on whatever secret she'd stumbled upon. But this was still her. The blue eyes staring calmly back at her were the same she saw every day. Her hair curled in its normal teal waves around her shoulders, unencumbered by the tiara.

"How interesting. But what does it mean?" For a moment she thought about how normal her life had seemed just the day before; well, as normal as she'd ever known. Encouraged to indulge in every artistic talent that caught her whim since infancy before eventually settling on the violin and painting at the age of four, her parents had nudged their prodigy daughter onto a path that eventually led her away from them so that she could study in the nation's capital city, the darling of several wealthy patrons. She closed her eyes and imagined the joys of the previous day, finishing school at the normal time and then practicing her beloved violin for hours before taking a relaxing swim.

The pressure on her arms and feet slid away, and when Michiru opened her eyes again, she saw that she once again stood in her pajamas and robe in the middle of her bedroom. The rod with the star on top was nowhere in sight. However, she had a feeling that if she was to call out that strange phrase again, it would appear and she would once again be engulfed by that magic wave.

However, it was no use worrying about it now, she decided. With quick, smooth motions she finished making her bed and then opened the drawers of her dresser to pull out the first swimsuit her fingers touched. She changed quickly, grabbed a towel from the tall, thin cabinet just inside her tiny bathroom, and headed out of her apartment and to the elevator that would take her to her haven among this sudden chaos. She knew as soon as the water touched her skin, all would be well.

The cool quiet of the otherwise empty pool worked just as she'd hoped to calm her mind and spirit. Stroke after stroke she moved with her normal grace, trying to quiet the images of destruction she'd hoped were completely exorcised. They kept creeping back, the eyes of a terrified child here, water gushing in black waves over a building there, destruction everywhere.

After twenty laps she gave up, pulled herself out of the pool, and dried off with a frown. Perhaps what she needed was a quick dinner and an early bed time instead of her usual night owl tendencies. With a firm nod to herself, Michiru headed off to try and drown the images in her head with ramen and sweet dreams.

By the time she laid down, hair dry and exhaustion making her eyelids heavy, she had high hopes that true rest would take away the past twenty-four hours and bring her back to her safe, normal life full of nothing but music and art. However, for the second night in a row Michiru found herself on a golden shore, waves lapping at her feet. This time, she was dressed in that strange sailor suit, gloved fingers clenched around the star-topped rod once more. She didn't waste time waiting and spun around. As expected, the tall figure stood behind her, this time shrouded in mist.

"What is happening?" Michiru demanded, doing her best to keep her voice cool.

"You must find the Messiah and help defeat the Silence."

Taking a deep breath, she gestured to her outlandish outfit. "And this is supposed to help me with that somehow?"

The figure nodded once. "You are Sailor Neptune, Guardian of the Deep Sea. It is your duty to protect this world from threats from outside of the solar system."

Michiru raised her brow. "And how exactly am I supposed to do that? I'm just a junior high student!"

She thought she heard a chuckle. "You are so much more, and you will grow stronger as you age. You will become more powerful than you can imagine. However, you will not protect the world alone. Eventually you will meet the one who is to be your partner in this mission. Together, you will find the Messiah and help defeat the Silence that would destroy humanity."

Michiru's lonely heart, too long without someone who truly understood her, clung to that idea, but her quick mind dismissed it out of hand. The idea of being some destined magical warrior was too ludicrous for her to take seriously, even if it promised half a dozen people who would love and accept her for who she was instead of thinking her dedication to the arts too strange for someone her age. She was far too busy to go around saving the world, even if those visions came true. Surely there was someone else who could do this, someone with less to lose. Thoughts of her beloved violin, of playing her way from continent to continent, nearly overwhelmed her.

Looking down at her feet to hide her frown, Michiru asked, "And if I refuse this honor?" She kept her voice from cracking through will alone.

"There is no one else who can take up the mantle of Sailor Neptune. You may turn your back on your destiny, Kaiou Michiru, but the death of the world, of the entire solar system, will be on your head" The deep voice turned cold but not cruel as it delivered that verdict.

Michiru's heart sank at the quiet that followed. It seemed she would be offered no reprieve. She would need to make her choice. What choice was there, though? The figure's solemn words only echoed what she knew in her heart. Still, she had to try.

"And what of the other you spoke of, the one who is to be my partner?"

"Neither of you are strong enough to find the Messiah on your own. If she takes up the mantle alone, she will fail." The voice held complete certainty, a certainty that Michiru unfortunately shared.

Fists balled against the skirts that swayed in the sudden breeze blowing up around them, beginning to clear the mist, Michiru nodded. "How will I find this partner you've promised?" she asked, raising up tear-filled eyes.

She could almost see the figure's smile, could definitely hear it in the softening of her voice. "You will know her when you see her. For now, prepare yourself for the battle ahead. Your strength of mind and body will be of paramount importance."

Michiru opened her eyes to her darkened bedroom and let out a small gasp. A single tear leaked from her eye and trailed down her cheek and neck, but she didn't raise a hand to wipe it away. She deserved this chance to mourn lost dreams. With the coming of dawn, her search would begin.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: I'm so glad that there are people who like this so far! I hope that this next chapter meets your expectations. Many thanks again to my beta, Ninjette-Twitch, and to Daikon who reviewed this to make sure that I did okay on the F/F elements since this is my first time. As always, please remember reviews are love!

Michiru sighed and gazed out over her classmates' heads at the track beyond. Attending a motocross race that day hadn't been her idea. This wasn't really her scene at all. But when a fellow student tentatively asked her if she wanted to join their group for the outing several days prior, something had prompted her to agree.

Thankfully, the poor boy hadn't seemed to think they were on a date or anything when she met the rest of the group at the train station, which would have made the trip out awkward. Instead, he'd spent the train ride gossiping with the rest of the group and sneaking looks at her while she sketched, looks she'd done her best to ignore.

She was sure this was the day and place she would meet the one who would be her partner Guardian. She didn't know how, but it would happen here. That knowledge kept her eyes roaming through the crowd of onlookers as a line of about twenty motorcycle riders formed on the track.

Surely, she would recognize this partner as soon as she saw her. Everything else about being a Guardian seemed to be instinctual, including the two times she'd needed to call upon her transformation when students from a particular private school somehow manifested into monsters until her powers cleansed them. Defeating those monsters had felt as natural and right as placing her bow upon her violin to play.

As her eyes moved back and forth, endlessly seeking, she kept pausing at the rider of a bright blue motorcycle where he waited to start the race, his fingers gripping the handles and then relaxing, over and over again as if impatient to get going. But Michiru couldn't allow herself to pause for long, pushing away thoughts of that rider as desperation began to grip her.

No one in the crowd so far drew her to them. No face made that instinct flare as much as her classmate's invitation had. Was she wrong? Was there some other reason she was drawn to come here today; perhaps another monster that needed to be defeated?

Feet now braced almost in a fighting stance, Michiru began to look around for areas to transform if needed, settling on a small grouping of trees nearby. That settled, she tried to keep up her surveillance of the area. Her eyes kept snagging on the track as the race began, a distraction she just did not need while now on alert for an attack. She glared at the riders whizzing by for a moment before resuming her cautious study of the people surrounding her. Who could it be? There were no school uniforms here today, which made sense for the weekend.

"Kaiou-san, are you alright?" one of her classmates asked, and Michiru realized that she might look strange, paying more attention to the crowd than race.

"I'm fine. It's just a big crowd," she explained, allowing her shoulders to relax while the rest of her body remained strung as tightly as her bow.

"The races don't last long," her classmate, whose name escaped her at the moment, offered with a sympathetic smile.

Michiru nodded thanks to her and turned her eyes back to the race in order to reduce suspicion. The rider on the blue motorcycle caught her eye as he flew by ahead of the pack, and she couldn't help but notice how his white and black jumpsuit hugged his body. With a blush, she focused on the other racers, wondering if maybe one of them was the threat. Or maybe it was that racer on the blue motorcycle, the one she couldn't seem to keep from staring at no matter how hard she tried. The others hadn't given her this feeling, but that didn't mean that the monsters never would. Her eyes narrowed as she began to purposefully watch that particular rider.

The race was over sooner than she expected. The rider of the blue motorcycle won and stepped forward to claim his prize after parking. He took off his helmet to reveal a head of blond hair over sharply defined yet delicate features that set her heart pounding. Somehow, she knew despite the distance, that his eyes were an ever-changing hazel. She scolded herself for the distraction and kept an eye out for any disturbing movements, any sign that a monster was going to burst from him. But he accepted the small trophy he received with a reckless grin and turned away, leaving her feeling somehow empty.

"I'm so happy Tenoh Haruka won again! I just knew she could do it! I've been watching her race for months now!" another of Michiru's classmates said, one who'd been babbling about the race the entire train ride to the small town outside Tokyo. Sasaki Yuna, she thought the wide-eyed girl's name was.

"Her?" Michiru paused, eyes wide as she watched the rider wheel his—no, her bike and walk it away from the track.

Yuna nodded, excitement nearly causing her to tremble. "Yes! She's an up-and-coming racer. They say she's even faster in her car, although I've only been able to see the motocross races so far. And she's only our age. She even goes to a junior high in Azabu-Juban, just like us! I can't imagine being that good at anything yet, but she either wins or comes close to winning every race, no matter what kind. She is extremely gifted."

Michiru murmured something in response, words that she hoped made sense because all of her attention now concentrated on Tenoh Haruka's back as she departed. She hadn't been wrong. Her instincts had worked just fine. Here was her destined partner, although she didn't know it yet. Perhaps, here was even the balm for the loneliness she tried to ignore as she went through day after day surrounded by people but close to no one.

The walk back to the train station was a blur to her, as was the ride itself. Michiru found herself thankful for once that she was with a group since she was able to take her cues from them to get on and off the connecting trains before finally arriving back at Hiro-o station. She gave them an absent farewell and wandered back to her apartment building, mind still spinning.

Now that she'd found her destined partner—her incredibly attractive destined partner—she wasn't sure what move to make next. During the train ride she'd managed to ask a few questions about Haruka, although she hadn't needed to do much since she'd been the main topic of conversation thanks to her enthusiastic fan. She knew what school the other girl went to, that she raced on foot as well as in vehicles, and even that she had another race in two weeks, this time cars.

Michiru was determined to go to that race, but then what? Should she just go up to Haruka and blurt out everything that had been happening? There had to be a better way. Maybe Haruka had been having dreams as well and it would be easier than that, but something told her that wasn't the case. For some reason, she'd been singled out to be contacted in her dreams, to receive these unwanted powers first.

Michiru stopped at the Lawson's near her building to purchase some sushi, politely thanking the staff, before finishing her trip through the crowded streets. She made it all the way to her apartment without noticing a single face that passed, although most were probably her neighbors. Setting the sushi on her counter, she poured a glass of water and then began to eat absently while standing in the middle of her small kitchen. She mulled over the possibilities as the sushi melted away nibble by nibble. By the time she finished her meal, she'd made her decision.

Her only option seemed to be to approach Yuna, the classmate so obsessed with Haruka, and ask her for information about the upcoming race. Then she would attempt to meet the racer and see if she realized anything was unusual about herself. At this time, that was her only option. She couldn't risk continuing alone, but she also couldn't out herself as different without some assurances. In any way, Michiru thought, blushing.

She'd had crushes on girls before. More girls than boys, if truth were to be told. It was something she'd accepted about herself, although she hadn't dared tell her parents while she still lived with them. All her mother wanted to talk about sometimes were future grandchildren, as if Michiru wasn't still a child herself! She was far too young to think about children, if she even wanted them eventually. And while modern medicine could work wonders for her mother's ambitions, she knew her parents expected her to find a good boy and settle down someday, after achieving amazing fame and fortune, of course. Her mouth turned down at the thought.

Then again, if this Silence had its way, she wouldn't have to worry about whether she liked boys or girls or what her parents would think. The visions kept haunting her, new ones joining the first, of death and destruction. She'd continued painting them, using her school art room and access to even larger canvases than would fit in her apartment. Her teachers thought she'd gone on a morbid bent but encouraged the talent they saw anyway, or so she heard them whispering. She didn't care. The images needed to come out or they would suffocate her.

Resolved not to worry about it right now, Michiru cleaned up the mess from her food and headed into the living room. It was time for practice, something she sorely needed if she was going to be ready to perform in a few weeks. She pulled her beloved Stradivarius violin out of its case and moved over the music stand by her floor-to-ceiling windows. She flipped to her favorite song of the moment, took a relaxed stance, and set bow to string. She started with her usual warm up, allowing the notes to rise, swell, and break, much like waves on a beach. Closing her eyes, she lost herself to this most simple and basic task, allowing the music to block out the negativity of her anxious thoughts.

These were the moments she lived for, even before becoming a Sailor Guardian. Now, she clung to the music as a lifeline in the swirling, stormy sea of her reality. Her breathing evened out with each note, her heart felt lighter, and the edges of her mouth curled up in the most satisfied of smiles by the time her warm up was over.

She looked down at the piece she had been practicing, in small sections, all week. It was time. She would play the whole thing through, just once, and she would play it perfectly. Settling her violin once more, she began.

It was an almost mournful song, one her most generous patron had picked out months ago and not really to her taste. But she'd agreed to master it, and master it she had. Her smile grew as each note sang flawlessly from her strings from first to final, which she drew out more than she should in playful celebration. Her sigh of satisfaction echoed almost as loudly as the music through the mostly empty room, and her smile faltered then faded away. She quietly put away her violin, making sure the case was snug, and then moved over to close her music book.

The sunset out her window captured her attention, and for a moment she allowed herself to picture Haruka standing on the balcony just outside. The phantom image of the other girl turned her head and grinned, the same look she'd seen earlier at the race track. Michiru raised a hand to the glass as if to push it aside before the image disappeared, fading into the pinks and oranges of the clouds beyond. Her fingers found her mouth instead as she choked back a sob.


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Things progress here pretty much in line with the flashbacks in Episode 106, just in Michiru's POV. I tried to put as much of my own imagination into it while also keeping true to the events from the episode. Thanks to everyone who reviewed the first two chapters, and of course to my beta, Ninjette Twitch!

The air smelled of motor oil and hot rubber, an acrid combination that made Mirichu's nose wrinkle when she caught her first whiff while she followed the crowd pouring into the low stands. This track was different from the last, an oval of asphalt with little to block out the heat of the sun as it pounded onlookers and participants alike. Her eyes scanned the teams prepping cars until one tall figure caught her eye. She tried to stifle the sigh that caught in her throat and tore her eyes away.

"Are you ready for today's race, Kaiou-san? I wouldn't have taken you for a race enthusiast." Michiru realized that Yuna was struggling to keep up with her and adjusted her stride, reminding herself that she couldn't appear too eager.

"I find myself more fascinated by the speed than I expected," was all Michiru offered, bestowing a slight smile to soften her vague answer.

Apparently that was enough. Yuna nodded enthusiastically, and they continued to a place right up against the rails separating track and spectators. Michiru kept her eyes on Haruka as the racer slapped the shoulder of one of her teammates, settled a helmet on top of her blonde hair, and then slid into the driver's seat of a sleek yellow car, the kind that was obviously a convertible.

For a moment, Michiru felt a vision overwhelm her, one where she and Haruka drove along a deserted highway in the moonlight, wind rushing through their hair and laughter on their lips. She shook away the daydream, lips compressing, and scolded herself for the distraction from her goal. Her only goal.

This race was longer than the last and even less exciting, although the cars picked up more speed than the motorcycles had, with fewer twists and turns to navigate. It was just two long stretches with short curves between, and the scoreboard informed the crowd as the cars slid around once, twice, three times, on and on until finally they were on the twentieth and final lap.

It did not surprise Michiru at all that Haruka led the rest by at least half a car length or that she bounded up to the stage at the end to claim her prize with enviable energy. There was something about every line in the racer's body that still quivered, as if she wanted to get back and go a few, or many, more rounds on the track.

Michiru didn't see the appeal, personally, but she did admire the hunger that she could almost feel radiating from Haruka. She was chasing something, although Michiru had a feeling she didn't know what. It was obvious in the various speed sports she participated in, the disregard she gave the crowd as she walked off toward where her team was giving her car a look over. She didn't race for fame, and although she obviously liked being first, she didn't revel in it the way Michiru had observed in other sports winners.

It seemed unlikely that both of them would have been having unusual dreams that ended with magical wands appearing out of thin air. As far as Michiru had ever been able to tell, prophetic dreams and visions were unusual. That's why she'd always kept them to herself, as her parents had warned the first time she tried to speak about them. They'd called it her "silly fantasies," and it didn't matter if the neighbor's water main did break the next day. That was all just a coincidence.

Yuna's chattering broke through her thoughts. "I can't believe that Tenou-san won again! This is so exciting! If she wins her 5000 meter race next week, I'll need to find out where she got her good luck charms!"

Michiru wanted to roll her eyes but smiled slightly instead. "Oh, she's racing on foot next week? I suppose it would be interesting to see if she can keep up her streak. I admit that it's fascinating to find someone who is so successful with different vehicles, but maybe her own two feet will be less of an advantage?"

"Maybe you're right! I guess we'll see at the junior high next week-if you'll be there, that is?" Yuna smiled shyly. Michiru's heart sank. She couldn't befriend this kind girl any more than she already had. Something inside told her that she had to remain apart in order to keep her secrets safe, most especially her identity as Sailor Neptune.

With a nonchalant shrug, Michiru turned toward the exit. "I may be busy that day. The summer art exhibit is coming up, and Nakamura-sensei wants some additional pieces to add to my collection," she coolly replied, as if she had no intention of attending any more races. She didn't let herself turn to face Yuna again, although she heard the disappointment in the other girl's voice.

"Oh. That's too bad. Well, maybe I'll be able to tell you at school the next day if Haruka won."

Michiru forced herself to shrug once more. "Suit yourself. I'm almost positive she won't manage it, though. Three times lucky isn't very likely." With a sniff, she continued out of the stands and followed the crowd away from the track, Yuna trailing behind.

The week dragged by for Michiru. She had no means to contact Haruka herself. The anticipated appearance of another demon creature kept her tense, but so far things had been quiet on that front. Art and music weren't soothing distractions she was used to. Although she managed to push out several more cheerful pieces for the art show and kept practicing for the concert her patron had scheduled on a short harbor cruise later in the month, her heart wasn't in either pursuit.

Finally, the day of the races between track teams at the local junior highs arrived, and after school Michiru made her way to the sports field where it was scheduled to take place. The crowds were made up mostly of mothers and other students, as she'd expected. She didn't see that now-familiar burgundy and green uniform anywhere. That was a relief, to be honest, although it would have been a convenient introduction for her partner to face one of the monsters. Still, it was probably better this way. Haruka deserved as much easing in as possible, a luxury Michiru hadn't been afforded.

Michiru grasped the handle of her bag, her excuse for coming today and trying to meet Haruka. She knew a few members of the track team and intended to ask one to introduce her, if possible, after the races. She would use art as her reason. After all, her instructors were always praising her ability to bring her subjects to life through motion. What better place to find models than a race?

Looking over the field, she noticed a familiar figure from school. Tall and lean with dark skin and hair perpetually dyed pink, Elza Gray was instantly recognizable. Michiru also happened to share a few classes with her, so even though they weren't friends, she decided she felt comfortable enough to approach her after the race for help meeting Haruka. With that worked out, she headed to the stands to wait through the interminable races. One was already started, although those looked like first-year junior high students.

To amuse herself and pass the time, Michiru scanned the ranks of the runners until she found Haruka, stretching off to one side. Trying to ignore the flutter in her stomach, she pulled her sketchpad and a pencil out of her bag and got to work. Long limbs, a sweep of dark blonde hair across the forehead, serious face; she captured every movement Haruka made in a series of sketches, filling up more space than she would have thought, page after page.

Finally, Elza and Haruka stepped up to the track at the same time. She watched them get into position next to each other. To her surprise, for a moment Haruka froze, staring into the distance. It was the first time Michiru had ever seen her hesitate. Then Elza said something to her which obviously jerked her attention back to the race. Haruka shook her head and pinched her nose then glared at the other runner. However, only Elza spoke again before the race started and they were off. Michiru couldn't help but wonder what she'd said to cause that look on Haruka's face. Hopefully it wouldn't ruin her chance at an introduction.

Michiru slid her pencil back into her bag and stacked her sketchpad on top, holding both in front of her like a shield as she made her way back down through the stands, murmuring apologies when she had to step in front of someone. Thankfully, she made it to the ground just as the race ended, Haruka with a firm lead as always. She caught the yearning look on Elza's face as Haruka stepped away, and she couldn't blame the other girl at all.

"Elza-san," Michiru called out, catching her classmate's attention.

"Michiru-san! I'm surprised to see you here," Elza said, her face shifting to a warm welcome. They'd worked on some good projects together that earned them high marks, something Michiru was grateful for as it seemed to have gotten her on Elza's good side.

"Nakamura-sensei wants me to expand my collection for the exhibit coming up," she explained, moving her sketchpad a bit in explanation. "I thought that a track meet might have the type of movement I was looking for."

"There sure is plenty of movement here!" Elza laughed, grabbing a towel off a nearby bench and running it over her forehead.

Michiru nodded. "I got some good group sketches today, but I also saw someone who inspired me for some individual sketches. I was hoping you would introduce me to her. I saw you talking to her before your race."

"Oh, Tenoh-san? Are you sure? She's known to be prickly," Elza said, scrunching up her nose.

Michiru shrugged. "So am I. But I think she'd make a fantastic model, if she'd consider it."

Elza nodded. "Alright. I'll introduce you. But I can't make any promises."

The two girls walked down the field toward the area where students from other schools had set up. Haruka stood there, having slipped into a dark blue tracksuit. Michiru squashed the little pang of disappointment that shot through her at all that lovely golden skin covered up, focusing instead on the brash way that Elza greeted the other runner. If this was how the sporty types talked to each other, she was glad she'd always avoided that sort of thing, she decided. Even her swimming was solitary, something she kept quiet so that teachers wouldn't push her to try out for swim teams.

Michiru stepped forward on Elza's cue, gaze on the ground. She took a deep breath through her nose to calm herself and raised her eyes to Haruka's. Blue-green met blue-gray, and for a moment the entire world stood still. Michiru almost heard the figure from her old dream again.

_"You will know her when you see her."_

Weeks ago, Michiru had thought she knew what that meant, when she saw Haruka for the first time from a distance. Now, however, looking into her eyes, the words took on new meaning. She felt as if she had looked into these eyes before, even closer than this. She knew that they turned a stormy gray when upset and a clear silver when she fought with a purpose, and she knew that they could turn an affectionate deep blue when laughing. How she knew any of that, she couldn't have said.

Pulling together every ounce of will, Michiru stepped even closer and said the first words that came to her.

"You haven't broken a sweat. You must have really been holding back. Perhaps something else was in control."

"What are you saying?" Haruka's low voice sent a thrill through her, although Michiru held back the shiver that wanted to break out.

"Perhaps you heard a voice in the wind that propelled you."

To her surprise Haruka's eyes widened and turned dark gray, and she wondered what she had said. It was too late now, though. Haruka broke eye contact and turned away, picking up her yellow duffel bag slinging it over her shoulder.

"That's a weird thing to say. So, why did you really want to meet me, Michiru." No honorific. Perhaps they were past that, somehow. Michiru couldn't find it in her to care.

The lie she'd been telling slipped from her lips. "Would you model for one of my sketches?"

Michiru held her breath. From an excuse to find and meet Haruka in person, this had become her greatest desire within just a few heartbeats. The sketches she already had wouldn't suffice. She needed more. She needed to plaster the image of Haruka on her soul, somehow.

Haruka glanced over her shoulder. "I'll pass. I'm really not into that sort of thing."

The rejection was so casual, so quick. It stung Michiru more than it should have, and she felt it went much deeper than just modeling for sketches. Somehow, she knew that Haruka was trying to reject the idea of being a Sailor Guardian. Had she gotten visions as well? Did she understand them any more than Michiru herself had at first? Even more, though, it felt as if Haruka was rejecting her, rejecting everything that Michiru stood for or could stand for.

Michiru watched her stride away without calling out. Elza had already moved away, her duty to introduce them complete, so she hadn't heard the brisk dismissal. Michiru closed her eyes, thankful for that small mercy. No one had witnessed her humiliation. Sighing, she turned and left the field from the other direction, not wanting to chance meeting Haruka along her route home even though she wasn't sure where the other girl lived or if that was even a possibility.


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Thanks again to my beta, Ninjette Twitch, for making sure this didn't go out of control.

The dark gray garment bag hung in the small dressing room she'd been shown to, with her violin case leaning against the wall underneath. Michiru stared at them blindly, trying to let the gentle motion of the yacht through the water soothe her frayed nerves. Not that the upcoming performance bothered her; this was just one of many. But the memory of her brief meeting with Haruka haunted her.

It was a strange sensation, wanting to win the approval of someone else. She'd always been given that, almost her entire life. She knew how to keep that approval, to smile sweetly or act meekly or bow politely as needed. Even the art of gracefully declining the attention or approval of others was as natural to her as breathing. Haruka's dismissal had been anything but graceful, though. Almost brutish in its force, an obstacle she hadn't expected to contend with. In response, her nerves had simmered constantly for the past week.

She wasn't sure if she was frustrated at Haruka's rejection of her or the idea of their sacred duty. Somehow, she had a feeling that Haruka knew. Deep down, she knew that there was something beyond this world. Beyond anything they'd ever been taught to accept as real and true. For some reason she wasn't letting herself acknowledge that, though. Michiru knew that as instinctively as she knew how to breathe. Haruka was stubborn, maybe more stubborn than her.

With a deep breath, Michiru reached out and unzipped the garment bag, pulling it away from the simple white dress that was her outfit for the evening. Made of flowing white satin with ruffled sleeves and a bow at the waist, it was supposed to showcase all of the things her patron thought of her. Sweet, innocent, full of youth. Eyes narrowed, she slid it off its wooden hanger and laid it across the stool in front of the miniscule mirror.

She stripped out of her school uniform and slipped into the white dress. It settled around her, light as a cloud. Drawing the string of pearls her mother gave her for her fourteenth birthday from the white velvet bag suspended from the same hanger, she clasped them around her slim neck. She took a few moments to brush through her hair, slipping off the headband she usually wore and laying it on the vanity below the mirror, next to the bunch of roses always left for her before a performance.

Michiru stared at the roses for a moment, and then made a decision. She reached into her bag and pulled out the small sewing kit she always kept for emergencies. She drew out a safety pin and set it next to her headband. Then, she selected a single red rose from the bouquet and used scissors from the kit to snip off most of the stem, careful to avoid the few large thorns. She pinned the rose at the center of her collar and then admired her handiwork. Slightly less innocent now. She tucked the sewing kit back into her bag, picked up her violin case, and headed out into the hallway.

A yacht attendant waited outside her door to guide her to the deck where she would perform. He bowed to her and motioned her to follow him. They wove through several corridors, down a set of stairs that led past one of the disturbing paintings her patron had been set on selecting from her most recent wave of inspiration, and up another set of stairs. A tall wooden door opened into the dining parlor of the yacht, almost the top deck itself. The attendant led Michiru to the side of the large stage and bowed before turning away to other tasks, obviously believing she could take things from there.

And despite her young age, she was experienced enough to do just that. She laid her violin case next to the empty stage, removed her instrument, and tucked the case into the special alcove meant just for that. Barely bothering to scan the thin pre-dinner crowd, she moved onto the stage and began to warm up in the light of the setting sun.

Even the simple notes of the warm-up wrapped her up in their magic, soothing some of her nerves. Eyes falling closed, she allowed the sounds to swell and drop, over and over. It was almost meditation for her, this pre-concert ritual, one that she welcomed. The ship might be bustling around her in preparation for dinner, but for these moments, she was completely alone.

The bell for dinner sounded as the last of her practice notes drifted away. That was her cue to start her repertoire for the evening. Somewhere out there was her patron, she was sure. He always stayed for the first song or two before drifting away, satisfied in money well-spent. The other guests held little interest for her, and yet there was an undefined tension in the air.

As she began to play the first song, sliding bow against strings in the familiar dance, she scanned the crowd through her eyelashes. Perhaps one of the students from that particular academy was here. She hoped not. A yacht would be a messy place for a monster to appear, not to mention it would be difficult to get away to transform.

Almost in the center of the room, she saw her. Blonde hair gleaming in the artificial light now glowing from globes around the dining area. A tuxedo and ruffled shirt, of all things, although Michiru admitted that her brief glimpse wasn't enough to tell how well she looked in it. Although of course she would look spectacular. At this point, Michiru was convinced Haruka couldn't look any other way.

Teeth grinding slightly, Michiru turned her attention back to the music. Irritation began to build into fury as speculation ran wild through her mind despite the sedate notes she created with her violin and the calm facade she presented. How dare Haruka show up here! How had she even known to? Why had she bothered? Her rejection had been quite clear.

Song blended into the song, thankfully perfectly clear in her memory despite her swirling emotions. The guests' dinners came and went until only their after-dinner drinks were left. Each time Michiru peeked, Haruka still sat there, simply staring. She did her best not to catch the taller girl's eye, although she wanted to stare back in defiance. This was not the time or place for that, however. Too many eyes were on her.

As her last song was drawing to an end, Michiru saw Haruka stand from the corner of her eye. She disappeared through a door on the other side of the large dining room even as the final notes fell. Michiru bowed to the applause that rose on all sides of her, a small smile on her lips but not her heart. Quickly she packed away her violin and then handed it off to the waiting attendant, asking him to take it back to her room while she used the restroom.

Michiru followed the attendant and pretended to duck into the ladies room, but as soon as he was far enough away, she went back into the hall. Following the same instinct that had allowed her to recognize Haruka's presence, she headed back toward the stairs where her painting hung.

Just as she approached the red-carpeted stairs, Haruka began to descend them. Michiru ducked to the side for a moment and watched Haruka stare at the painting with the same intensity she'd just used with her. She used the distraction to slip up the stairs, unsure if Haruka noticed. The cool eyes scanned the painting with an air that was almost too familiar. That's when Michiru knew. She dreamed, too. Even if she didn't want to admit it.

"Do you like that piece?" Michiru asked, settling on the top step, skirts draping gracefully around her legs. She took a moment to admire how the long lines of the tuxedo complimented Haruka's lean frame, even with her hands shoved in her pockets. "You know, I really appreciate you taking your time away from your racing to be here tonight."

Perhaps she included too much venomous sweetness in her words. Haruka looked down, pinning her with those sharp gray eyes. Michiru's chin lifted, her own eyes narrowing.

"Hmm. Did you paint this?" Haruka's voice was quiet, almost gentle, and it made Michiru regret her anger a little. Not a lot, but a little.

Instead of answering, she decided to try to throw Haruka off guard. "You're quite famous these days. Actually, I know a couple girls at my school who are obsessed with you." Michiru smiled as if she wasn't one of them and tossed her hair over her shoulder. "From what I've heard, one of them would love to ride in your car with the wind blowing through her hair, as you race along the sea."

 _That would be me,_ Michiru thought bitterly, keeping her expression soft and gentle. As if she didn't wish it wasn't so. As if she didn't want to smack the smug look off Haruka's face at her next words.

"So, this is the end of the world, huh?" Haruka asked with a chuckle, sliding her hands into her pockets. "I'm surprised that a girl who looks like she couldn't kill a bug...would spend her free time painting these depressing fantasies.

Michiru allowed some of her anger to push through to the outside. "It's not a fantasy! In fact, I can see this vision very clearly. Just like you can!" she accused. She willed Haruka to look back, to see her glare.

When Haruka did turn back to her, eyes still a serious gray, Michiru rose to her feet. She gripped her hands in front of her to stop the trembling she was sure would give away the strength of her emotions. Or maybe to stop herself from flying up the stairs and wrapping them around Haruka's throat. Eyes on the toes of her pretty white shoes, she waited.

"Wrong again! The only vision I have is being a professional racecar driver! I live in the present, and I don't give a damn how the world is going to end. But if you want to save humanity, then go do it. Knock yourself out! And stop nosing around in my personal life already."

But Michiru would not be cowed. Not in this. Blood rushing to her cheeks, hands gripped together even tighter because that option to strangle was beginning to sound incredibly appealing, her eyes shot back up to capture Haruka's before looking away again.

"You have no right to judge me! I don't want to have to do this either! My dream was to be a great concert violinist and travel the world."

Michiru glanced to the side, imagining that lost future for just one moment. The applause, the thrill of playing each piece perfectly, the admiration of the world. Her grief almost overwhelmed her. She used it to fan her fury to new levels and swung her gaze back to Haruka.

"Saving the world from complete destruction was the furthest thing from my mind!"

Haruka stared back at her, eyes hard. Suddenly the small landing felt entirely too claustrophobic, swelling with emotions Michiru barely recognized. Anger, sadness, betrayal. Of what, she wasn't sure since Haruka had never made her any promise. Perhaps merely the loss of hope.

Michiru whipped around and began to descend the stairs, chin high. She wouldn't let Haruka see the tears that began to gather in her eyes. No one was ever allowed to see that, since she was a little girl. However, she did offer one parting shot.

"I may not have dreamed of saving the world, but at least I know how to do my duty when called upon."

She did not look back, even though a small corner of her heart begged her to. Michiru ignored the tear that slipped down her left cheek and retraced the path to her dressing room. Alone, as usual. As always.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N 2: Thank you to everyone who has reviewed so far! I hope that you...enjoyed this chapter? This is the part in ep 106 with, I think, the most angst, so maybe enjoy isn't the right word. But the next, and last, chapter should help with that. Stay tuned for next week! And remember, reviews are love!


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And here is the final chapter of this story. Remember, this is intended to span just the backstory portion of ep 106. I hope it lives up to expectations! Many, many thanks again to the awesome Ninjette Twitch for her beta skills! And as always, please remember that reviews are love!

In the days after she blew up at Haruka, Michiru found herself painting more aggressively, committing the images she'd sketched at the track meet to canvas in a series she decided to title "Motion in Flight." At first she thought that was exactly what Haruka was doing. Flying away from her responsibilities. Away from destiny. Away from her.

Yet, could she blame her? This was not an easy life. The few monsters she'd fought already were terrifying. The picture of their potential future if the Silence was not fought were bleak. If she hadn't taken up the wand and found herself transformed before she knew what it meant, would she have chosen to? Or would she have turned her back like Haruka?

These thoughts plagued her day and night, causing her sheets to twist around her body with her jerky movements and dark circles to form under her eyes. Her cheekbones became more prominent because food had little appeal to her. She kept her hair brushed and clothes neat from habit only, and even her school performance dropped a bit as she only perfunctorily completed assignments.

As the time since the last monster appearance stretched into weeks, Michiru also began haunting anywhere Mugen Academy students gathered. When she saw their distinctive burgundy blazers in a crowd, she followed behind no matter their destination. Until one led her to a racetrack.

She hated that she hesitated. She didn't even know if Haruka was competing in this race. Maybe it was for older drivers. Maybe it wasn't her type of race at all—Michiru was hardly familiar with the intricacies of race car driving, after all—or maybe she was sitting this one out. Although in her heart Michiru knew that was unlikely. Something told her Haruka would never miss a race if she could help it. Of any sort.

Despite her misgivings, Michiru followed the boy wearing the burgundy blazer into the stadium, weaving through the crowd while trying to keep her eye on him. Something about that boy made her think this could be it. Maybe it was the way his shoulders hunched. Maybe it was an aura that spoke to that part of her that constantly heard the sea. Whichever, it didn't matter. All that mattered was her feverish desire to prove that this path was more than what Haruka had claimed it was—even if she hadn't chosen it for herself. Even if she still wouldn't have.

She almost growled in frustration when she lost sight of the boy, although she managed to keep it restrained to a simple huff of breath. It was so tempting to push her way through the press of bodies, most taller than her. However, she kept her cool and opened her mind to that feeling of the ocean lapping at the sand instead. Maybe it could lead her to her prey.

Pushed forward by the crowd, an instinct told her to dart right. Giving herself up to the waves rushing in her ears, soon Michiru found herself on the edge of the sea of spectators. She moved forward steadily, silently, barely aware of her surroundings. Suddenly, she was on the track itself. Only a small feeling of foreboding stole over her as she slipped across and to a row of low buildings.

She saw a burgundy jacket fluttering on the ground next to the first of a series of garages. She snatched it up, but before she could investigate further, she heard the revving of engines and cars began to pull out of the garages. She ran around to crouch behind the concrete squares, hoping that the monster wouldn't appear while so many were in the stands or the sides of the track.

The race itself was quiet, as far as supernatural activity was concerned. Michiru allowed herself to breathe a little easier, even as she peeked around the corner to keep an eye on the crowds and cars, mere blurs of color and sound as they sped past.

Finally the cars surged in a single file line into the lane in front of the garages. After the last one passed, only the dull roar of the crowd and individual shouts from teams in red could be heard. Michiru decided it was safe enough to come out of her hiding spot since everyone seemed distracted. The race must be over.

As she rounded the front of the garages, a familiar tall form caught her eye. Of course. Haruka was here after all. Striding away, her helmet slung over her shoulder. The jumpsuit she wore did amazing things for her body, something Michiru scolded herself for noticing at a time like this. Still, she couldn't help herself from heading in the same direction. After all, she needed to search the garages for the owner of the jacket she'd left tossed carelessly to the side once more.

Most of the garage doors were closed, blocking her investigation anyway. Only one, toward the end of the last row, was even partly open. Haruka sucked into that one, of course. Michiru paused mid-step. She needed to know if that Mugen boy had gone in there, if he laid in wait for a victim the way the other monsters had. But part of her didn't want to confront Haruka again, even as another part of her yearned to be in the other girl's presence.

Something flared in Michiru's awareness, and she began to hurry forward again, not quite running. That would draw attention. But her steps quickened, especially when she heard an inhuman rumble between the noises of the crowds and the mechanics around her. She picked up even more speed.

As she popped her head around the corner of the open garage door, she watched Haruka crash to the ground. Her breath caught until the other girl sat back up what felt like an eternity later to confront what had to be the ugliest monster yet, purplish red and glistening with slime. To Michiru's disgust, it looked like someone had taken a section of intestine and enlarged it, given it a head, random tentacles, and a set of wicked teeth, and then shoved it into the world without another thought.

The creature drew back to attack again. Michiru prepared to transform, unable to bear the thought of Haruka being hurt by that beast. Before she could, a globe of light appeared between the fallen girl and the monster, nearly blinding in its intensity. In horror, Michiru watched a wand appear, one very similar to her own.

Haruka didn't want this. She didn't want to fight against the evil of the world, to be forced into becoming a hero. She deserved to choose, as Michiru had not been able to.

Haruka reached forward, as if hypnotized, while the creature remained stunned by the light. With her recent realization ringing in her mind, Michiru let out a hoarse shout.

"Don't!"

The wand dropped to the ground with a clatter while Michiru stepped further into the garage before leaning her back against the door frame, arms tightly crossed together over her chest. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Haruka look over her shoulder.

"You must not touch that. If you do, your life will be changed forever. Your dreams, unfulfilled." She looked up to keep the tears that gathered in her eyes from falling. "You'll become like me."

Michiru glared at Haruka for a moment, daring her to argue. Then she raised her hand up into the air, her wand appearing in it with a thought.

"Neptune Planet Power Make-Up!" she called. The bright green power suffused and changed her, as it always did.

When the transformation was complete, Haruka stood staring at her, open-mouthed. The monster, no longer blinded, had no such qualms. It attacked but Sailor Neptune dodged, causing it to crash into a metal shelf and stunning it momentarily once more. Neptune prepared herself to give the killing blow.

To her surprise, Haruka ran between them.

"Stop! He was human just a second ago! If you finish him off now, that would be murder!"

Neptune admired the silver fire in those eyes, but she knew her duty. These creatures could not be allowed to survive and spread the chaos that would enable the Silence to dominate the world.

"The Silence is coming," she coolly argued, frustrated that she needed to explain yet again. "If I don't do what needs to be done, there'll be more casualties."

Images from her first visions flooded her mind. The blood. The drowning. The utter destruction of everything she knew and loved.

"You're saying the end justifies the means?" Haruka spat out, incredulity in every line of her face and body as she clenched her hands by her sides.

Neptune narrowed her eyes and set her shoulders. "That's right. That's exactly what I'm saying."

 _And my opinion is the only one that counts in this. I'm all alone anyway_ , she bitterly thought.

"You hate people that much?" Haruka has the gall to ask her.

Of course she didn't hate people. She might not have strong feelings for many, not even her family, but she didn't hate them. In fact, the only person she'd ever felt strong emotions of any kind for stood in front of her now. However, she knew that in order to protect an entire world, sacrifices would have to be made. Nothing came without a price. However, she almost relented and reassured Haruka that once the monster was separated from its host through its destruction, the human would most likely be fine. The others had been.

There was no time to argue further, however. The monster rose up again, towering over Haruka. Neptune was unsure which of them was its target, but just in case she surged forward.

"Look out!" The scream tore through her as she wrapped her arms around Haruka's waist and pulled her out of the way, causing them both to fall.

As they tumbled to the ground, Neptune felt something slice into her arms and back. The pain seared through her. Never before had she let a monster get so close. She'd always been able to finish the things off before with nothing more than a magical attack or two.

Wounds pulsing, she leveraged herself up off of Haruka in time to see the monster coming for them again. She jumped up and shouted her attack.

"Deep submerge!"

A wave of energy flooded out of her and surrounded the monster. Teal light flared briefly, almost a comfort, and then was gone. The grotesque creature disintegrated. In its place, a boy her age dropped to the ground.

Neptune fell to her knees. Her arms and back laced with fire, her head pounding, she squeezed her eyes tightly shut against the tears that wanted to come. This wasn't the time.

Suddenly strong arms lifted her up and carried her over to the wall next to the slumped Mugen student. Neptune found herself laying across a firm lap, her head cradled by a lean arm. She dared to open her eyes, hoping the moisture in them wouldn't betray her.

"Where's the monster?" she asked around the ringing in her head. Haruka's answer confirmed that the end of the battle wasn't a hallucination.

"It turned back into a human being. The boy's fine."

The other girl's voice was softer, kinder than Neptune thought she probably warranted.

"I could have killed that child," Neptune confessed. Somehow she knew she didn't need to explain more, to say that she would have, if she needed to. The blue-gray eyes above her already knew, but this time they held no judgement.

"Who knows what will happen the next time," Neptune muttered, mostly to herself. Because there would be a next time. And she would fight again. And again. And maybe she wouldn't succeed after all. Not on her own.

"I don't want to make those choices," she confessed, not daring to look at Haruka anymore. But still, she felt she had to explain. "But I'm a Sailor Guardian. And this is the choice that I've made."

 _Even if I didn't know what that choice meant, in the beginning_ , she silently added.

"Why did you put your life on the line to protect me? If you had gotten more injured, you would never be able to play the violin again."

In the split second before she answered, Neptune knew she could have said many things. That Haruka was worth it, as all people were. That it was her duty. That she had to stop the Silence, and that was more important than the violin. She could have mentioned how even minor scrapes healed so much faster, so she doubted that even such serious cuts would put her down for long.

However, looking back up into Haruka's eyes, her own softened and she told the full, unvarnished truth. The one she'd been hiding from even herself, at least a little.

"You should know, I've been interested in you for a long time. And not just because you might be a Guardian. When you entered your first race, I was there watching." That was a bit of an exaggeration, but really it was more of a wish. She wished she'd known of Haruka this whole time. She wished she'd had longer to admire her.

"I'm the girl who wants to feel the wind blowing through her hair as she rides beside you. You see, I feel I already know you."

That part was true, all of it. Even more than her beauty, Neptune felt as if Haruka's very soul called out to her own. And she was deeply afraid that Haruka would never feel the same. But she had to try, even as she saw Haruka's eyes widen.

"I love that you have an independent spirit, and that you're completely honest and say exactly what you feel."

Haruka's gaze dropped away from hers. "I'm not as honest as you think. I'm always running away."

Neptune warmed at the confession, hoping it meant that Haruka was starting to trust her just a little. Still, she couldn't help but disagree.

"I believe I know you better than you know yourself, Haruka. That's why I stopped you earlier. This path was forced upon me, and I hate seeing it forced on you, as well." Neptune blushed and smiled shyly. "Haruka, when I found out that you were my destined partner, it made me so very happy." Tears welled in her eyes and this time a few slipped out. "Forgive me. I wish you didn't have to find out any of this. I'm so sorry."

She watched Haruka look over her shoulder and then back down at her. Something flashed behind those eyes, a determination that took her breath away. In wonder, she let Haruka set her gently against the wall. Then the racer stood up and marched over to the wand lying forgotten on the floor. Neptune held her breath as she leaned over and picked it up, long fingers grasping the handle firmly.

Haruka looked back over and gave her a small smile. "So how do I do this?"

Neptune let out a strangled sound, half relieved laugh and half sob. "It'll come to you," she quietly answered, her own smile lifting her lips in the most natural way she'd ever felt.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> All right, I think a lot of you expected a bit more on the relationship side for this one. I'll admit it was pretty subtle. That's why I'm considering either an epilogue or a full on sequel detailing both their infiltration of Mugen Academy and deepening of their relationship. I'd like anyone reading this to chime in on your preferences, and I'll try to take them into account.


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